Systems and methods for trapping volatile hydrocarbon fuel vapors, from the fuel tank of an automobile are well known. Such systems are typically referred to as evaporative loss control systems and rely on a canister containing a regenerable adsorbent such as activated charcoal. The adsorbent adsorbs the volatile hydrocarbons and when engine operating conditions are appropriate for combusting the trapped hydrocarbons, a stream of air is passed through the adsorbent to desorb the adsorbent and the hydrocarbon-laden air stream is passed into the engine where the desorbed hydrocarbons are combusted. Exemplary U.S. patents disclosing evaporative loss control systems include the following: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,877,001; 4,750,465; and 4,308,841.
Systems and methods for adsorbing uncombusted hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas stream of an automobile are also well known. These systems and methods are particularly useful for adsorbing uncombusted hydrocarbons emitted during the cold start of the automobile engine.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,210 is directed to an exhaust gas purifying apparatus for an automobile employing a three-way catalyst with either a Y-type zeolite or a mordenite used in a hydrocarbon trap upstream of the three-way catalyst. In the embodiment of FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,210, a bed of activated carbon is disposed upstream of an adsorbent zone. A solenoid-operated valve mechanism serves to direct the exhaust gas stream either through or around the activated carbon bed, depending on the temperature of the exhaust gas stream, and then through the adsorbent zone and the three-way catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,244 is directed to a process for treating an engine exhaust gas stream in which the gas stream is directed through a molecular sieve in an adsorbent zone during the cold-start phase of engine operation. When the hydrocarbons begin to desorb, the adsorbent zone is by-passed until the catalyst is at its operating temperature, at which point the gas stream is again flowed through the adsorbent zone to desorb hydrocarbons and carry them to the catalyst zone. A paper by M. Heimrich, L. Smith and J. Kotowski entitled Cold-Start Hydrocarbon Collection for Advanced Exhaust Emission Control, SAE Publication Number 920847, discloses an apparatus which functions in a manner similar to that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,244.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,231 discloses an engine exhaust system for reducing hydrocarbon emissions, including the use of beta zeolites as hydrocarbon adsorbents. Zeolites having a silica/alumina ratio in the range of 70/1 to 200/1 are preferred adsorbents. The apparatus includes by-pass lines and valves to direct exhaust gases from a first converter directly to a second converter during cold-start operation and when the first converter reaches its light-off temperature, to either by-pass the second converter or recycle effluent from it to the first converter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,753 discloses an exhaust gas purifying device comprising: a catalyst device installed in the exhaust gas path of an internal combustion engine for treating the exhaust gas of the engine; an adsorbing device installed in the exhaust gas path between the catalyst device and the internal combustion engine, for treating the exhaust gas of the engine. One embodiment includes a heat exchanger for performing heat transfer between the exhaust gas flowing from the internal combustion engine to the adsorbing device and the exhaust gas flowing from the adsorbing device to the catalyst device. Alternatively, the catalyst device includes a catalyst secured in the low-temperature-side gas flow path of a heat exchanger, and the exhaust gas flowing from the internal combustion engine to the adsorbing device is allowed to flow to the high-temperature-side gas flow path of the heat exchanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,556 discloses a method and apparatus for treating an exhaust gas stream containing hydrocarbons and other pollutants. The method comprises the steps of flowing the exhaust gas stream through a catalytic member comprising a monolith body having a first catalyst zone and a second catalyst zone therein to contact a catalyst in a first catalyst zone to convert at least some of the pollutants in the exhaust gas stream into innocuous products. The exhaust gas stream is then discharged from the catalytic member and flowed through an adsorbent zone to adsorb at least some of the hydrocarbon pollutants with an adsorbent composition. The exhaust gas stream is discharged from the adsorbent zone and flowed to the second catalyst zone to convert at least some of the pollutants into innocuous products. The exhaust gas stream, so treated, is then discharged to the atmosphere through suitable discharge means. A preferred adsorbent is a zeolite, having a relatively high silica to alumina ratio and a low relative Bronsted acidity. The preferred adsorbent compositions comprise beta zeolites.
Systems for adsorbing vapors which would other wise be emitted into the atmosphere from the vehicle's air induction system when the vehicle is shut-off are also well known. U.S. patent application Publication Ser. No. US2002/0043156 A1 discloses a housing securing an air filter having an air stream inlet and an air stream outlet. The air filter comprises a filter media disposed on a support that is disposed within, or secured to, the housing and an air permeable hydrocarbon adsorbing material is disposed between the filter media and the support at the air stream outlet end of the filter. The preferred hydrocarbon adsorbent is an activated carbon cloth.
EP 1 110 593 A1 is similar to the U.S. patent application Publication. The EP Patent Application discloses an air filter assembly including a housing and a plurality of filter layers disposed in the housing. One of the filter layers is a carbon impregnated polyurethane foam layer to remove hydrocarbon vapors diffusing through an air inlet to the filter when the engine is shut-off.
It has been found that a significant amount of volatile hydrocarbons from several sources collect in the air induction system of the automobile engine after the engine has been shut off. These hydrocarbons are then discharged into the atmosphere after the engine has been shut off. Prior art systems and methods devote relatively little attention to prevention of the emissions of such hydrocarbons through the air induction system of the engine since the amounts of such emissions are relatively small as compared to the emissions of hydrocarbons from the fuel system and the exhaust gas stream which would pass into the atmosphere if left untreated. Nevertheless, in view of the increasingly stringent federal and state regulations mandating the elimination of all emissions of uncombusted hydrocarbons in the atmosphere to the extent technically feasible, it is desirable to provide equipment to adsorb such hydrocarbons.
Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide a unit for adsorbing volatile hydrocarbons emitted after the engine has been shut-off, in the air induction system upstream of the engine and thereby prevent the emission of such hydrocarbons into the atmosphere.